Permits available to cut Christmas trees in National Forest
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News from the National Forest Service
FLATHEAD VALLEY — Christmas tree permits from the Flathead National Forest are available for $5 each from Forest Service Offices in Kalispell, Hungry Horse, and Bigfork, and in Lake County at Ronan Power Products and Ronan Sports and Western, as well as others vendors listed below. Trees may not be cut on the Flathead Indian Reservation by non-tribal members.
Each permit is valid for one tree and there is a maximum of two permits per household. Commercial permits are not available. The National Forest has an abundant choice of trees from which to choose. Trees may not be cut in campgrounds or other developed areas, plantations, previously thinned stands and areas posted closed to Christmas tree cuttings. The permit must be fastened around the tree trunk prior to transporting your tree from the National Forest.
Please select a tree that is three to four inches in diameter or less at the stump. The stump should be cut as close to the ground as possible, 8 inches or shorter. Do not cut the top of a tree or leave live limbs attached to the stump.
The Christmas tree permit is only for National Forest System lands. There are other privately-owned and industry-owned lands in the Flathead Valley area that may not allow Christmas tree cutting, so please check the ownership of the land before you cut a Christmas tree. Free map downloads of National Forest areas are available online at www.fs.usda.gov/main/flathead/maps-pubs. Scroll down to “Motor Vehicle Use” maps.
Please drive safely and be alert for winter driving conditions. It is always a good idea to have a map and be aware of your location. For a permit or more information about cutting Christmas trees on the Flathead National Forest, please contact a local Forest Service Office:
• Tally Lake Ranger District/Supervisor’s Office, (406) 758-5204
• Hungry Horse-Glacier View and Spotted Bear Ranger Districts, (406) 387-3800
• Swan Lake Ranger District, (406) 837-7500
Stores that sell permits:
• Snappy’s Sport Senter, Kalispell
• Kelly Rae’s Conoco, Kalispell
• Mike’s Conoco, Columbia Falls, Hungry Horse and Whitefish
• Local Joes Gas & Grub (Conoco), Bigfork
• Ronan Power Products, Ronan
• Ronan Sports and Western, Ronan
• Swan Ecosystem Center, Condon
• Swan Lake Trading Post, Swan Lake
• Swan Valley Centre, Condon
• Mayert Mercantile, Olney
• Glacier Center, Coram
• Bear Track Travel Center, East Glacier
• Ferndale Market, Ferndale
